Legal Counsel - Mortgages

The Mortgages Team is within the Legal Team (Lawyer Awards 2020 finalist ’In-house banking and financial services team of the year’) and advises the Group in all aspects of this area of law for all types of residential and commercial mortgages offered by the Group.

OSB Group is a leading specialist mortgage lender, primarily focused on carefully selected segments of the mortgage market. Our specialist lending is supported by our Kent Reliance and Charter Savings Bank retail savings franchises. Diversification of funding is provided by sophisticated securitisation platforms. OSB’s unique cost-efficient operating model is supported by our wholly-owned subsidiary OSBIndia.

The key purpose of this role is to advise the Group on legal and regulatory matters relating to retail and commercial mortgages, conveyancing, and other aspects of retail and commercial lending operations.

This role involves a considerable amount of mortgage and property law work, advising on technical queries arising from the Group’s Underwriting, Completions, Operations, Servicing, Solicitors on Panel, Sales, Compliance, Regulatory, Collections, and Credit & Real Estate teams.

Your responsibilities will include…

• 
  Working with the Group Head of Legal–Mortgages as a key Legal advisor to the Group on all aspects of Residential, Buy-to-let and 2nd Charge Mortgages law and regulation, lending operations and mortgage servicing, conveyancing and other legal aspects of secured lending
• Advising the Group on legal issues around security with regard to mortgaged properties and a range of post-completion mortgage enquiries
• Assisting with drafting of mortgage and other product terms and conditions and ancillaries
• Providing legal support to Group change projects affecting mortgages and savings cohorts and new product projects
• Maintaining and updating the bank’s CML Handbook
• Ensuring legal risk in the Group is adequately identified, mitigated and reported in the course of giving advice
• Working within the Legal team to monitor and report on changes in legislation and regulation that impact upon the business so a proactive advisory strategy can be pursued and required changes anticipated, monitored and tracked well in advance of implementation
• Proactively identifying and reactively troubleshooting legal-related issues, processes and policies within the front-line of the business and working closely with the business to implement practical and legally compliant solutions

We offer a base salary dependent on experience of between £51-61,000 and a competitive benefits package including:

• Discretionary annual bonus opportunity of up to 15%
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Contributory pension (8% employer 5% employee)
• Life Assurance (4x salary) plus Group Income Protection
• Access to Private Medical Insurance and Medical Cash Plan
• Additional benefits such as, Cycle Purchase scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Holiday purchase / sell schemes, Employee Perk Portals and Save as you Earn scheme.
• Prioritising your well-being!

We are looking for talented individuals who have the experience and knowledge set out below:

• Previous experience as a paralegal, governance/Co Secretariat and/or legal trainee in-house or in private practice
• 1 year – 3 years PQE, qualified as a Solicitor of England & Wales and holds current Practising Certificate
• Intermediate knowledge of the law and regulation around retail mortgage lending
• Knowledge of property conveyancing, particularly in relation to mortgage lending

We also believe that your career and how you progress is as unique as your individual personality. We continually support our people so they can become the best version of themselves.

If this sounds like you, please apply now! For internal applications please visit the internal careers page to apply.

Alternatively, if you wish to have an informal and confidential chat about this role please contact us on recruitment@osb.co.uk

If shortlisted from your initial application we operate a personalised recruitment process. Interviews are a two way street, we aim for them to be relevant and conversational to get the best out of you!

All applicants must have rights to work in the UK and be willing to undertake the relevant pre-employment screening checks should your application be successful.

Unfortunately, due to the high number of applications currently being received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.